Sen. Mo Denis, D-Las Vegas, the first-ever Latino to serve as the Senate Majority Leader, gave an emotional tribute to his parents on the opening day of the 2013 Legislature Monday.

Denis' parent immigrated to the United States from Cuba and eventually came to Las Vegas where his father worked as a waiter at the Las Vegas Sands.

"I am grateful for their sacrifice and their desire to make things better for their children," Denis said from the floor, pausing as he shed tears. He said today was the first day he had spoken about his father's death in June.

"It was a sad day for our family, but we are grateful that he passed peacefully and that he is now with his sweetheart," Denis said.

Denis said he plans to focus on improving Nevada's education system, adding jobs to the economy and restructuring the state's tax system so it is not "dependent on tourism and sales tax."

"We must act now," he said. "We need to make sure we have a fair and balanced tax structure."